The Game of Life 1
by JJ'sWickedMistress
Summary: One rainy night, Sam and Danny realize their true feelings for each other. But when it's time for good byes, what can be done? Story is way better. DxS
1. It's the end of the World

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or any related characters. I only own the story. I hope this doesn't sound too much like all the other Sam and Danny fluffs, I came up with this a long time ago. Enjoy and please, R&R.**

**Prolouge:**

**It's the End of the World as We know It**

So this was it. Highschool graduation, thought Danny. Something told him it was going to be hell, and he couldn't survive it. _It shouldn't be this hard to say goodbye. _It was though, and to Danny, Sam, and Tucker, it was clear they had to learn to let go. These things were never made to be easy. The teens had been friends since pre-K. The moment came rushing back to Danny as he thought about it, how they'd met, how they'd learned how to deal with each other through the ups and downs of growing up. It all started on December 14th, 1993 in the small, one classroom building of Amity pre-school. (Flashback_)"Class,I'd like you to give a warm welcome to our new student, Samantha Manson." said Ms.Frost."Samantha, would you mind telling the class where you came from?"_

_"Iowa" she replied shyly. She was dressed in a white school dress with black stockings and a white, fluffy winter coat. A maroon ribbon was tied in her long black hair. "Samantha, go take a seat, anywhere you like." The three-year-old walked confidently to a desk at the end of the small room, and sat down next to a brown skinned boy and his blue eyed friend. "Hi I'm Tucker" said the boy "and this is my best friend, Danny." Sam looked at the blue-eyed one, and he started to blush. "Hi." _

_"Hi" said Sam back. It was darling, the way she sat and stared at the two, her violet eyes wide open and gleaming. "Do you want to be my friends?" she asked sweetly. "Ok"_

_"My parents fight ghosts, how 'bout your's?" Sam paused, then looked up. "Mommy moved here for a job. She says Daddy isn't coming home." Tears were brimming in her eyes. "Sammi, what's wrong?" asked both young boys. "My Daddy was a soldier. They sent him away and, and, and then..."Tuck and Danny gave her a hug. "It's okay, at least you have us now. We'll help you forevers, I promise." Danny got up and handed her a kleenex. "You guys are the bestest friends I ever had."The only friends I ever had, she thought, but she kept it to herself. (End Flashback)_

They couldn't live without each other, at least that's what Danny thought. Why hadn't he noticed his true feelings for Sam before? He knew they were something above 'just good friends', but was it really this deep? His friends had been the reason he'd gotten through all right, the reason why he'd become a life-saver at the age of fourteen. Things were only getting harder,they all knew this moment was awaiting them. Tucker had recently been accepted into a Technology College in California, and Sam was trying to get a scholarship for an arts and design college, which also happened to be out of state. He himself didn't think he could leave, after all, who would take care of the ghosts? Maybe it was his fault they were here, would they leave if he left? They'd follow him, that's what they'd do. Besides, he was already reserving a small apartment down town,there wasn't much point in cancelling that. His life was messed up, what could he do? "Dude, are you okay?" Tucker's speech pulled Danny out of his thoughts. In shock, he stepped backwards and ran into Sam. "Stay" she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. Leaving Tucker behind, she led Danny to a door that led to the back of the school. They silently seated themselves on a wooden bench under the cherry blossom tree that was centered on the patio area, a little bit away from the main building, right on the edge of the bus lane. This had been Sam's haven every year she's attended Casper High. _That and the bathroom she thought, _but that was a whole other story. She looked so beautiful to Danny, in the moonlight, her jet black hair shone,her dark eyes sparkled. Her delicate lips were set in a forced smile. She turned away, and Danny could hear her sobbing. Tears glistened down her face, reflecting the pale white light of the cresent moon. "Sam, please, what's wrong" inquired Danny, much the way he had upon their first meeting. He gently put his arm around her frail neck, but all she wanted to do was push it off.She didn't want to hurt his feelings, so she kept her patience. He'd never shown this much affection for her, and she took advantage of it. She could see he too was on the verge of a melt down. Danny brushed her hair aside, and leaned close to her. "Sam, I'll be there for you, forever. Don't be afraid." Rain came down from the bruise-coloured night sky, but it went unnoticed. "I'll always stay."

**Okay, well, I promise it gets going after this. Please review! No Flames!- Mistress Amity**


	2. Memories of A Past Life

**Ok, I'm hoping I can make this chapter longer... That's all I really have to say, so ya. All Danny Phantom characters belong to Butch Hartman.**

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**Chapter 1**

**Memories of A Past Life**

1:29 a.m. "Your parents are going to kill me for bringing you home so late, Sam."

"No they won't. Well, actually, they would, but they can't. They went out to a bar and they won't be back until like 4:00 a.m. It happened last time, and I had to babysit my younger cousin. Believe me when I say it was hell." Sam looked at Danny. Danny couldn't help but smile at the fact that she still had an attitude. And yes, she could still give him that look that said "Shut up" even when she was as dead tired as this.

"So, they ever come home drunk before?" he asked, his big blue eyes lit with amusement.

"Uhh, ya, like 21 times before. One time I had to come and pick them up because they forgot where they were. They ended up on the side of the road half a mile down from the bar. They'd been bothering people going for their early morning jogs. It was raining, too."Both teens started laughing, droning on and on about all the stupid and most embarassing things they're parents had ever done.

"Hey Sammi, remember the time my dad invented the 'Fenton Teleporter'?"

"You mean the one where he was showing us and Tucker pressed the button and he got transported to the upstairs bathroom while your Mom was taking a shower?"

"Ya, and when she looked around the shower curtain, and there was my dad in the sink, she nearly had a cow. He sat on her favourite bar of Dove soap and broke it. She was mad at him for like a week."

"What was with her and that bar of soap anyway? She was like, emotionally attached."

"How the heck would I know that?" Time and time again they burst into laughter, but the ride was over all too soon. "Hey Sammi, you sure you couldn't come over for awhile?" She glared at him. All right, he'd called her that kiddy name too many times today, it was going to stop. "Hey, you sure I'm not gonna kill you if you call me Sammi one more time?"

"Oh, alright. I guess it just kinda slipped" he said, rubbing his neck. "But seriously Sam, this is like, the last night we have before you leave tomorrow for the Catskills. Now would you just walk down the street to my place?"

"Fine. You better have some Motrin though, and if all the popcorn in the house goes missing, I'm leaving you with the blame."

"Seems like a good night-uhh, morning, to me." Samand Danny ran down the street, their shadows dancing along the stripes of yellow light from the street lamps. More than once they ran into a car parked along the street, sliding across the wet, metallic sides and onto the ground. Car alarms broke the silence of two o' clock in the morning.

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"Danny. Danny. Danny. Danny Fenton, wake the hell up and sniff the roses! I gotta go, before my parents get back!" 

"Huh, what? Okay, I'll smell the roses." Sam gave Danny one final shove on the shoulder. "Samantha Anne Manson, what are you doing?"

"What I just said." she replied, taking the remote and turning off his _vintage_ SONY television set. Yeah, vintage is what he liked to call this piece of crud from the '90's. "Reruns of the Amazing Race too boring for you? Or does it just amuse you to leave me with soda and popcorn in the dark for an hour and a half?"

"Oh, go home and listen to that emotional HIM band you love so much. I'm sure Ville will take better care of you than I can."

"Shut up Danny. You know I don't think that." She said, pretending to be annoyed. "That was 8th grade I had a crush on him, 8th! It was 6 years ago."

"Yeah, but you watched every documentary there was on television. You had his pictures all over your wall. At least until you realized you would never amount to that girlfriend of his." Sam rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you!"

"Hey, anyone ever told you how cute you are when you're angry?"

"If you don't mind, I'm-" Too late, she was sporting that famous, ' I love you, shut up' smile. "Someone's got PMS." Danny chuckled. "Come on, let's get you home. I'd hate for you're parents to rain on our parade."

"I guess so. I just wish there was more time to spend. Man, ever realize how the time's just flying by?"

"Only since High school. But it was over fast. Come on, you're the one who wanted to go home. Hold on, one thing. Wear this before I get blamed for you getting a cold, too." She looked at the sweatshirt, the familiar smell of Axe on it. On the front, it sported the HIM sign, a heartagram. "Gee, thanks for giving me even more of my past to focus on. Now what, are you going to play "What's My Age Again?" They shared a last laugh, remembering the interesting time they'd had at that Blink-182 concert. Not to mention how mad Sam's stepdad had been when he found out she'd broken her leg, not in a mosh pit but falling off of Tucker's shoulders, right on top of Danny.

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**Well, the story hasn't really gotten going yet, but next chap I promise it will. Hopefully it seemed a lot longer than the prologue. And heres to my reviewers- Long lost Sorrow and Snapcat. So glad you like the story. Keep those reviews coming! - JJ'sWickedMistress**


	3. The Things You Never Knew

**Yay! I finally got to update! I didn't realize how long it had been since I last worked on this story. I do not own the Danny Phantom characters. Rated for saftey.**

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**Chapter 2**

**Things You Never Knew**

_Oh Danny _Sam sighed when she got home _Do you not know how much I love you? Do you not suspect the things you never knew?_ Sam pressed a cold finger to her lips, still tingling from Danny's kiss. And she knew she would have done anything to stay in that moment, but she was so afraid of having her stepdad see them and get mad. Things weren't so great between her and her stepdad these days, which is why she was leaving for the serenity of the Catskills. She pulled up her pant leg and looked at the huge scab that covered half her thigh. _My stepdad gave me this scar_ she thought... She shuddered at the thought of that night, but she couldn't help but always relive it. She would never forget all the blood, or how scary it was to have her Mom's husband screaming bloody murder in her face.

She been listening to music in her room, it must have been about one in the morning or so on Saturday. Suddenly her bedroom door had banged open, and she only had time to say "What the hell?"before her stepdad had paced over to her and grabbed her by the neck, pulling her off her bed. "You think I don't know what you do when I'm out you gothic whore? What kind of father do you think I am?" At this point he'd thrown her against the door of her room and she'd gouged her leg on the hinge. It had ripped straight through her jeans and the blood had spilled all over the carpet. She would never forget the excrutiating pain of it. He brought his huge fist right down on her face, then striking her in the ribs over and over again. "You'll learn not to be so freakin' disobidient to me!" I was in so much shock I didn't have any clue what was going on. "You're just an inconsiderate bastard of a child. I'm ashamed to be involved with someone who could be so stupid!" He'd grabbed her by the arm and whipped her around to face him. "Get this dirty ring out of your lip!" He yanked hard on her lip ring, but she pulled away in time to only get a small tear in her lip. He grabbed her by the neck once more, punched her face, and threw her on the ground.

When she heard the front door slam and his Dodge Ram truck pull out of the drive way, she cried, listening to the hum of it's engine fade farther and farther away. She was scared, she wanted to scream, but nothing would come forth from her throat. She just layed there for hours, the electric hum of the tv moving through one ear and out the other. "I hate him...who said he could ever treat me like that?" The blue lights from the television flashed, lighting up the room. But she was too shocked and upset to think about that. For a while, she thought she should phone the police. She should report her stepdad. But for whatever stupid reason, she didn't. How would it help? She had no proof. The cuts now were only scars. Sure there were still blood stains on the floor, but she could have gotten beaten by anyone. There were no witnesses, to this day she hadn't found the reason why he'd been so angry. And her stepdad hadn't been home for weeks.

She'd asked her Mom why too many times. The story was always the same. "He called me and told me he had somewhere to go. He said he was going to Las Vegas, Nevada, but that's the only information I had. Why do you ask? Is something wrong?" She should have told her mother, but she hadn't. But she just knew it was going to slip sometime, the things she was telling Danny didn't fit. Her stepdad was gone. Her mother was on a business trip. Neither of them were coming home tonight. Sam just wanted to be alone. She didn't want Danny to see her cry all over again. And if he was here now he would be ashamed of her.

She looked down at her wrist. By the pale light coming through the door of her room, she could see she'd made another mess of thin red lines all over her white skin. One was bleeding. She dropped the rusty saftey pin to the ground and shuddered. She could die from this. A single tear ran down her cheek, but she sniffled and got up. _I'm going to the Catskills to my aunt and uncle's place tomorrow. Everything's going to be better from now on.

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Sam finally decided to stop dwelling and start packing for her trip. She had to drive to the airport at about 5:30 this morning. It was clear she was getting no sleep today, at least until she was on the plane. She opened her closet door, pulling out all her favourite shirts and throwing them to her bed so she could fold them. As she walked over to her dresser, she heard the annoying, loud ring of her cell coming from the kitchen downstairs. After about 7 rings it stopped, cutting out to her voice on the answering machine message. "This is Sammi's Cell, please, leave all your stupid comments after the beep. (or be doomed- says Danny in the background) I'll get back to you when I feel like it. Thankyou!"

She froze, trying to hear from the hallway if someone was leaving a message and why. It was her mother. "Sammi? How are you honey? I probably wont be back before you leave, so I wanted to tell you... reason... here so I... file..." Sam couldn't hear, her kitten was meowing from the stairwell. "Luna, quiet!" she whispered harshly. Luna looked up, the moonlight catching the reflectors in her eyes, before tilting her head and continuing to meow at Sam. She could only hear the ending beep. Picking up the orange and black kitten, Sam jogged downstairs "Come on, Luna. Let's go see what mom had to say."

She picked up her cell phone, clicking it on, watching the picture of Tucker, Danny, and herself load on to the small screen. She checked her voicemail, replaying the most recent. "Sammi? How are you honey?"it said as it started over "I probably won't be back before you leave, so I wanted to tell you, the reason why I'm here is so I could go file for divorce from your stepfather. I don't know if he hurt you, but he hurt me, and we need to get away. Have a good trip Sammi!" She listened until it clicked off, hearing the people in the background. Sam figured she must have called from a pay phone in the airport. What puzzled her was why her mother had gone so far away to file for the divorce. Couldn't she have just as easily have done it here?

Thinking more deeply about it, she felt relieved. Not that things weren't still bad, that man had done something to her mother, and she wanted to know about it. That was the kind of thing that mattered to her. The phone in the living room rang, braking her from her thoughts. She groaned, to tired to want to go answer, but she figured she'd at least see who it was first. She walked through the doorway to her mother's office and to her right, bending down to blindly pick up the phone on the table in the dark. The screen lit up, showing Fenton J as the callerID. "What the hell do you want?"

"Hey Sammi, your parents back yet?" He sounded groggy and vaguely worried. "No, why, what's goin' on?"

"Nothing..." he let his voice trail off, then whispered "My dad's coming over here hold on... ok, he walked past my room. I just wanted to wish you a good trip. Hope it goes alright..." He didn't sound to happy to be saying it, like he was mad that she was leaving or something. "Danny, tell me honestly, are you mad that I'm leaving?" It was a moment before he spoke again. "Nope, just gonna miss ya, that's all Sammi."

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that." She could hear him grinning over the phone as he spoke. "Naw, just wanted to mess with ya. When are you leaving?" Sam poked her head around the wall, squinting to see the clock in her mom's office. "In about two hours, why?" To her, it seemed impossible she'd only been here for an hour after Danny had walked her home. "I was wondering if I could come wish you one final goodbye."

"You dork." she answered playfully. "Of course you can. Want me to make us some cocoa while you get your lazy butt over here?"

"Sure. So I'll be there in about 5, ok?"

"Yup. Hurry, I still have to take a shower and pack up."

"Fine with me. Bye, Sammi" She was too tired to argue. She placed the phone back on the reciever, walking gracefully to the kitchen. The tiles felt cool against her bare feet. Everything was going fine. She flipped up the switch on the back of the water kettle and listened while the steam rushed out. She grabbed a can next to her mother's expresso machine and flipped open the lid, braking off her nail. "Oh crap." She smiled at the fact that it didn't matter to her. She heard a faint knock on her front door.

"Come in you idiot." He wasn't wearing anything other than a t-shirt and baggy black pants and sneakers. It was cold at night here. "Well, I gave you my sweatshirt, so shut up, it's laundry day at my house."

"Well, your mom is a freak about that. Come inside and drink some cocoa, it will warm you up."

"Thanks Sam." he said as she handed him the steaming plastic Olive Garden cup. "Isn't funny how those olives used to scare me?" Sam asked Danny. A mumbled "Say what?"was his reply. "Remember when we went to olive garden that night, my mom, us and your parents, and when you were driving home in my mom's car the cup fell over, spilling my Sprite and I said that the olives were scary." He chuckled, looking up "Oh, that was funny."

"You know, I really am going to miss all of this."

"Ya, well, go figure. You've only lived here since Pre-K"

"It's funny, after all this time, you figure I would have matured. I haven't really, have I?"

"No need to. I love you the way you are, Sam." She blushed, then changed the subject. "I bet you that mustard stain is still under the backseat. And there's probably still melted Crayola crayons and your stuffed animal's eyeand BurgerKing napkins in the storage under the passenger seat. You know my mother's too lazy to clean that dang car."

"Why don't we go check? Your parents always walk to the bar, don't they?" Sam sighed, then put herslim hand on Danny's thigh. "Danny" she began, not knowing how she'd explain it all "I was upset when you were taking me home. I needed some alone time, and I used my stepdad as an excuse. Mom's on a so-called 'business trip' and my step dad's been gone for weeks. Last time I saw him, he beat me." Danny looked at her, wide-eyed. "Sam, why'd you never tell anyone?" She looked for a good, logical answer in herself, but found none. "I was afraid I guess."

"Of what? Just know never to be afraid again, Sam. If something like that happens again, tell me."

"He hurt my mother too, I'm not sure how yet. I got her on voicemail, she didn't say. But I don't think we'll ever have to worry about it again, she filed for divorce."

"Unless she marries a jerk like that again." Danny said, honestly. "I think she's done with guys now, Danny. _I'm_ done with her falling in love with people that brake her heart. She was 19 when my father went missing in action, 19! She should have never had to deal with that!" She slammed her hand on Danny's lap, and he only reached out to hug her. He was used to this hormonal crud. "How many time's do you think you're gonna bruise that leg, Sam?" She sniffled and got up, pushing Danny's arm to the side. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't worryabout it. You know I don't care."

"You're a great person Danny, don't forget that."

"Well duh, why else would I choose to stay here and save people instead of getting a life?" She didn't answer, she knew she wasn't meant to. She started to stand up, forcing her eyes open. "I have to go take a shower. My mom might be here in a bit, I dont know. 5:30's going to come fast, and I have to finish packing. Stay as long as you want, my mom doesn't mind you hanging around."

"Sure thing. I'll just stay here and watch MTV. My parents are too caught up in their ghost crud to care where I am." They both gave tired laughs, and Sam walked away. Everything was still ok.

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**Whoa, that is the longest chapter I have ever written. I had to cut myself off, or I would have gone on forever. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. Thank you to all my reviewers: thesleepwarrior, tot, Long lost sorrow, Megami, and snapcat - glad it made you smile.- JJ'sWickedMistress**


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